Nawaz Sharif's glorification of Burhan Wani at UNGA is an act of self-incrimination: MJ Akbar

New York: Strongly reacting to Pakistan Prime Minister's remarks at the UN, India on Thursday described them as non-factual and full of "threat bluster" and said glorification of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani by him at the world forum is an act of "self-incrimination" by Pakistan.

File image of MJ Akbar. AFP

"We just heard a speech full of threat bluster and rising immaturity and complete disregard of facts," Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar said at a press conference at the India's permanent mission after Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly.

He also criticised Sharif for glorifying Wani, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on 8 July, and said India "will not succumb to blackmail tactics of the Pakistan Government that seems eager to use terrorism as policy".

"We heard the glorification of a terrorist. Wani is declared commander of Hizbul, widely acknowledged as a terror group. It is shocking that a leader of a nation can glorify a self-advertised terrorist at such a forum. This is self incrimination by Pakistan PM," Akbar said.

Rejecting Sharif's offer to India to enter into a serious and sustained dialogue for the peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, the minister said, "Talks and guns don't go together".

"Pakistan at this moment seems to be run by a war machine rather than a government. Pakistan wants dialogue while holding a terrorist gun in its hand," he said. He also rejected Sharif's allegations against India with regard to the current unrest in Kashmir and said, "Kashmir occupation is by Pakistan occupation army. The world also knows that Pakistan has been indulged in ethnic cleansing of its own people," he said.